Our take
A Spike Jonze classic. Funny, smart and a quirky cult-favorite comedy, it tells the story of unemployed New York City puppeteer Craig Schwartz (John Cusack) who reluctantly takes a temp job as a filing clerk for the eccentric Dr. Lester (Orson Bean). While at work, Craig discovers a portal that leads into the mind of renowned actor John Malkovich. It will have you asking “who the f*** came up with this plot?” once you’re done admiring just how smart everything about this movie is.
What it won
Oscars
3 noms
Venice
1 win · 1 nom
Golden Globes
3 noms
BAFTA
2 wins · 4 noms
SAG Awards
2 noms
DGA
1 nom
Spirit Awards
1 win · 2 noms
WGA
1 nom
Nat. Board of Review
1 win
NYFCC
3 wins · 1 nom
LAFCA
1 win · 1 nom
César Awards
1 nom
The story
One day at work, unsuccessful puppeteer Craig finds a portal into the head of actor John Malkovich. The portal soon becomes a passion for anybody who enters its mad and controlling world of overtaking another human body.
Elsewhere
"The beauty of the film is the way it elevates John Malkovich from an actor to an axiom."
— Chris Chang
"Dazzlingly singular movies aren't often this much fun."
— Peter Rainer
The details
Streaming arrival
Who picked it
Bilal Zouheir is the founder of A Good Movie to Watch. He is based in the US and a member of the Nevada Film Critics Society. He grew up in Morocco, where he learned English from watching movies. Bilal's work with A Good Movie to Watch is focused on offering an alternative to streaming algorithms, which are often used as commercial tools by streaming services.
You feel like you have seen it all? Check this one out and you will come to the conclusion that you actually haven’t, just yet.